


The chronicles of underworld

by Opiordetodos



Category: Underworld (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Original Character(s), Post-Underworld: Evolution, Revenge, Underworld, Vampires, War, Werewolf Culture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29640894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opiordetodos/pseuds/Opiordetodos
Summary: They say that war is a two-edged sword, a coin with two opposite sides. Even in a hidden world of immortals this is no different. On the one side, a woman with a heart hardened by the loss who sees everything she knew revealing to be a lie, on the other, a leader who thinks himself as follower, trying to make peace. This is their story, their adventures of love and loses, their journey through the underworld.
Relationships: Erika (Underworld)/Original Male Character(s), Michael Corvin/Selene





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally from a friend until he passed the authorship to me and gave me permission to continue his work, you can even find the Portuguese version of his on this site. This story also exists on my FanFiction net profile.

While men live their lives and work to maintain it, sometimes things happen in the shadows without their knowledge. Sometimes war happens without their knowledge.

* * *

Rain… it was strong and intense, with its black and heavy clouds covering most of the night sky and soaking the streets of Budapest that were quite busy as expected. Right in the middle of the large crowd of people who were just walking around and running their own business, three men hurriedly walked to accompany a young dirty blonde one who had not even realized he was being followed as he headed for the subway.

Gabriel Brick, remained uncomfortable with his "co-workers" while trying not to be bothered by the rain that besides being completely wetting his black leather jacket, was soaking the beanie covering his grey hair. He was never a fan of rain, but here they were following a young man to the very crowded subway entrance. 

As soon as the three men entered the station and started to follow the blond boy towards the train car on the platform, the biggest one: a bald, black man wearing a long coat, suddenly stopped and looked around for something different. Brick did not understand at first, until he too was greeted by the sense of presence that the three were well acquainted with. The difference is that he knew where it was coming from, unlike his teammates.

The black man spun, looking between Brick and a pale, young-looking but rather dark guy who wore black clothes and an long coat, in addition to appearing to be following the trio. The black man looked at Brick, who was already aware of the situation and shook his head at his older companion in a 'no' gesture that was ignored.

"Bloods!"

'Did he have to shout so loudly?' Brick thought annoyed, pulling out his desert eagle at the same time that Raze pulled out his pair of Uzi after letting out his battle cry. He fired at the man in conjunction with Raze, but the target escaped the shots while drawing his own weapon. 

Brick's other companion, drew his own desert eagle and shot the man's female partner, a woman with pale skin and dark brown shoulder-length hair, wearing an long coat and a uniform similar to the man they shot, as well having an equally dark presence with the double lethality. She dodged the shots and hid behind a pillar to escape the shots. 

Although the bullets did not hit the intended target, they certainly hit the girl’s partner, the man they had spotted first, who collapsed on the ground and started to burn due to the ultraviolet property of the bullets that hit him. Brick hid behind the pillar, keeping his gun high and looking at his two partners who were still frantically shooting at their opponents.

Brick aimed his gun at the stairs and fired when two more men came for. Although he hit one of them in the chest, he was unable to eliminate the other when the woman left the corner with a pair of modified Berettas and shot in their direction, forcing Brick to hide behind the pillar again and causing his other companion to step back.

"Raze! Could you please..." Brick spoke to the black man who was reloading, gesturing his head to the woman who was still keeping them suppressed by the heavy fire. 

Raze violently loaded his Uzi and fired at the woman who stepped back to escape automatic fire. Brick's other partner aimed and fired wildly at the dark and fast woman, but the shot ended up hitting a random woman who winced in pain. 

Brick, who returned his focus to the shootout when the man he had failed to eliminate fired his P90 in the direction of Raze, causing him to retreat into the train before shooting through a window at the hiding shooter. The careless fool who had hit the woman in the crossfire, ran to the young man they were originally following, who was treating the woman's bullet wound. Trix tried to grab him, but he was stopped when the dark woman came out from behind the pillar and shot him in the chest.

She was about to kill him, but Brick intervened and fired at her, causing her to retreat again. He then ran to his fallen companion and grabbed the collar of his coat, dragging him into the train while Raze fired at the woman's partner, who was very focused on trying to hit the bigger man to notice them. Brick opened the car door, throwing himself on the tracks and dragging his injured companion along with him just in time to escape several shots from the dark woman.

"Better not stop to admire the scenery, Trix." Brick spoke to the injured colleague, pushing him. 

Both of them ran hurriedly, moving further and further away from the stopped train and the station without looking back. Trix because he was afraid of being shot in the face, and Brick because he wanted to prevent his teammate from being shot in the face even though he thought he would be deserved after the crap he did. The two stopped around the corner in a tunnel on the tracks, with Trix sitting against the wall and sticking his fingers into the bullet wound and Brick looking at the tracks around the corner, keeping the desert eagle ready. 

"Looks clear, at least for now." Brick said, putting his gun away and diverting his attention from the tracks to Trix, who grunted as he removed the smoking silver bullet from his chest. "You look like bloody shit dude. And that's the kind way of saying that you look really fucked up, I'm almost shedding tears here."

"Very… funny, asshole." Trix replied, still feeling pain and discomfort from the healing wound.

"Don't act like a little princess. Come on." Brick held out his hand to help him to his feet. But as soon as Trix accepted, he fell on his butt to the floor again when he was met with a punch in the face. 

"Why the hell did you do that?!" He growled angrily, holding his now sore nose and moaning softly when his chest wound pulsed.

"That's for the girl you hit on the subway, asshole." Brick replied in a serious and stern tone "We had a job, and that didn't include shooting random humans! Now, I don't know if I blame you or your terrible aim."

"Fuck you, she was just collateral damage and that's it!" Trix said in an annoyed way, which only served to elicit a brief growl of rage from Brick.

"Listen to me dumbass, we-" he didn't even finish his sentence when he heard the light but audible footsteps of something moving very fast along the tracks towards this direction. As if that were not enough, they both faced each other when they felt the same thing: the presence of the dark woman.

"I think she liked you." Brick scoffed before offering his hand to Trix, who hesitated for a minute before accepting when he saw that he wasn't going to get another punch in the face.

Both went to a railing on the floor that Brick abruptly opened. As soon as Trix jumped into the hole, he followed right behind and pulled the grid back down, closing the passage. When they found themselves in the more or less familiar environment of the dark tunnels, Brick started to move forward on the path he knew would lead to the den, but stopped when he saw that Trix was not following.

"What are you doing?" Brick asked angry, trying to keep his voice low.

"If we go, she'll follow us. I'll finish the job and make her pay for that lucky shot." Trix replied in an equally low tone, triggering the desert eagle.

"It wasn't a lucky shot you idiot! We have to…." Brick fell silent when he heard the light steps that were now above. He hid around the corner and Trix used the darkness as a cover. As soon as the rail opened, Brick again pulled out his desert eagle and was mentally berating himself for leaving Trix came along. The sound of something landing on the floor was all they needed to be quiet.

Brick looked around the corner and saw that it was really the subway woman, who in an impressive demonstration of speed spun backwards at the same moment that Trix fired at her, lowering himself from the path of the bullets and shooting him four times. Brick closed his eyes sadly when Trix hit the ground and the woman fired four more shots of her P90 into Trix's chest, which finally stopped moving at the same time that her gun clicked empty.

She bent over Trix's body, taking her desert eagle and removing the mag in a kind of analysis when she noticed the ultraviolet bullets. While she studied the lethal ammunition for her type, Brick came out of the corner with his gun pointed at the woman who, unbeknownst to him, had already noticed the second presence with her in the tunnel. She spun around again, pointing her second P90 at him at the same time he was also aiming at her. 

They stared at each other for about a second, but it seemed to last for an eternity. That was long enough for both of them to look into each other's eyes that were shining in their respective cloud and electric blue color. Despite the seemingly supernatural change in their eyes, they knew that behind it there was also the coldness of two hardened soldiers.

They pulled the trigger on their guns and the bullets were fired. For luck or bad luck, Brick was hit by two rounds on the shoulder that made him stumble back, while his round brushed the woman's arm, causing an intense pain and burning sensation that made her hide on the corner at the same time he rolled onto cover. Brick slowly stood up, letting out a small roar of pain mixed with anger as he dipped his fingers into the wound and started digging up the bullets.

Although it hadn't hit her directly, brushing her arm was enough to create a burn that made her let out a brief groan of pain from the intense burn on her arm. Due to her accelerated healing, she knew it would heal very soon, but that was not enough to stop her eyes from continuing to shine with anger and murderous determination.

Feeling fed up, tired and in a bad mood, Brick put his gun in his coat holster when the pain in his shoulder started to turn to anger followed by an intense and almost unstoppable rage. It was so intense, it provoked a series of animal snarls and wolf sounds when his teeth started to lengthen into sharp canines and his bones snapped briefly, making his muscles grow and fill, producing a small amount of hair and his features lengthening.

This inhumane change did not go on until its complete, because heavy footsteps came at great speed up the floor and a big imposing werewolf came down the rail and advanced towards the woman, who pulled four shurikens and hurled towards the werewolf who was about to jump on. The objects lodged in the monster's chest, making him stop briefly, which was enough time for her to turn and run at an absurd speed. The werewolf did not let himself be shaken much longer by the wounds and accelerated furiously through the tunnel that the woman had run, starting a frantic chase.

Brick watched as the woman disappeared like a blur, with Raze totally angry and in his changed form chasing her. With that, he allowed himself to relax enough for the partial signals of the change disappear. His face and body returning to a fully normalized state with no signs of its true nature when the change was stopped.

"Now that's what I call running after a girl. Except for the part he's not gonna pay her a drink." Brick said to no one in particular as he watched the tunnel they went through. 

Trying not to feel the pulsing pain from his wound in the shoulder that was healing more slowly due to the silver that was there, he went over to Trix's body. Brick looked at the brutally shot and battered state in which he had died, closing his eyes and being in respectful silence for a minute before bending over and throwing him over his good shoulder.

'You should have heard me, stupid.' He thought, preferring not to speak out loud. Although Trix's silly tactics and behavior made him angry most of the time, he didn't want him to end up like that. None of his brethren actually, not if he could avoid.

A long, deep animalistic roar echoed through the tunnel. Although it meant nothing to anyone who heard it, for Brick it was a sign that Raze was still hunting down the fatal beauty, and he wasn't going to stop until he managed to catch her or until she killed him. 

Preferring not to meddle, Brick just made his way through the dark tunnel with Trix's body, leaving Raze to have his fun.

* * *

Once inside the underground and questionable hygiene place where he and his brethren had made their den, Brick walked with Trix's body still in his hands.

Not wanting to waste time with the lycans around the den looking at him, Brick headed for the lab where he dropped the body on a table, alerting the Austrian lycan scientist wearing a bloodstained lab coat.

"I see you came back. From your face and that corpse, I assume you weren't very successful." The scientist said, observing for a moment the battered state of the body.

"We'll leave the street stuff for me and the scientific shit for you. Here's your new crazy scientist project: see if you can do anything to help him recover. He had hell thrown at the head." Brick said, removing his rain-soaked beanie. 

A new presence in the laboratory alerted the two when a naked black man with four shurikens embedded in his chest entered.

Raze looked condolently at the corpse, but before he or anyone could say anything, a man with long hair and an expression hardened by centuries of war entered the lab.

"Boss." Brick greeted the lycan leader, who nodded before looking at the body and the two lycans questioningly.

"We were ambushed. Death dealers, four of them." Raze informed Lucian, while Singe removed the clothes from the corpse and Brick took the cigarette wallet from his jacket pocket.

"And the candidate?"

"We lost him." Raze replied, ducking his head briefly in shame at his failure.

"You lost him." Lucian repeated, annoyed by the results of the past events. But specifically with the failure of his men to carry out the assigned task.

'Yes, we lost him after the egghead decided to play Lucky Luke with the death dealers without thinking of a plan.' Brick thought.

"What a mess." Singe commented as he remove the shirt and jacket from Trix's body, looking at the gunshot wounds

"Eight silver rounds as far as I could count. Hot and painful as hell itself, prevented him from making the change." Brick said as he raised a cigarette to his lips, lighting and swallowing deeply.

The lycan scientist drove forceps into the bullet hole, extracting a silver bullet that was smoking due to blood and contact with the tissue.

"There is no point in digging out the others, the silver has penetrated his organs. Regeneration is impossible at this point." Singe gave his diagnosis, making Lucian look away in frustration and regret. 

Dropping the bullet, Singe focused his attention on the shurikens trapped in Raze's chest.

"The vampires didn't realize you were following a human, did they?" Lucian asked. The last thing he needed was more future interference, or the entire coven to be suspicious of his activities.

"No." Raze replied, letting out a little grunt of pain when Singe started removing the shurikens to his discomfort. "I mean, I don't think so."

"You don't think or you don't know?"

"He probably doesn't know, considering how all the shit happened." Brick said before Raze could, lighting his cigarette and blowing smoke. "Even if they don't realize it, they surely will later. The death dealers aren't stupid. Besides, Trix and Raze were not very discreet up there."

"We were being followed, what did you expect me to do?" Raze asked angrily, cringing when Singe pulled out another shuriken.

"How about planning before playing the dumbnator?" He replied evenly, although he was trying hard not to shout too.

"Enough!" Lucian shouted, shutting them both up before the discussion reached another level. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, you lost the candidate and nothing you say is going to change that."

Singe took this as an opportunity to interrupt the process of removing the last shuriken from Raze's chest to go to his testing area and subjects where he could test the blood.

"The result was negative." The lycan scientist reported disappointedly when he returned. "I'm really must have a look at this Michael."

"Do I have to do everything myself?!" Lucian spoke angrily, leaving the laboratory in a very frustrated way. 

Brick just sighed before putting out his cigarette and throwing his wet jacket on the floor. He looked briefly at Raze, who was about to remove the last shuriken. 

"You should put on a bandage or something." He said to the black lycan, leaving the lab for any quiet space in the den.

'I'm going to take a coffee'


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you in or out?"

"I'm in."

"Then you can already pay!"

'Predictable.' Brick thought as he watched the lycan money being swept by the colleague who was practically smiling from ear to ear for his poker win.

This den area was much drier and less dirty, one of the few places where they could do casual things or just relax outside their makeshift quarters. Brick just preferred to sit and watch the poker game while enjoying his coffee cup.

"So, are you going to join this one?" The lycan with the most notes asked the other three with a mean and confident expression.

"I would look more closely, I am sure he is counting the cards or tricking the system." Brick commented casually as he sipped his coffee. 

The comment earned him a sharp look from the lycan, which was soon replaced by an apprehensive look when he saw that his three playmates were considering this, which raised a shitty smile on Brick's lips.

"Think about it, guys. Luck is not something very present, she usually goes out to buy cigarettes and never comes back." He spoke as he took another sip of his coffee, smiling even more when the four playing seemed to be about to punch each other.

Brick diverted his attention from his little personal entertainment when he noticed the two lycans in their police uniforms passing by. Deciding to have a business update, he got up and followed them to the arsenal area where Raze was waiting.

"So, what did you get?" Raze asked, looking briefly at the place where Brick was standing at the door before turning his attention back to them.

"Not much. We went to the hospital where he works, but he was already gone when we arrived." Pierce replied, much to Raze's displeasure.

"But the employee we questioned gave us this." Taylor took a paper out of his pocket and handed it to Raze. "An address. Apartment number, block, it's all there."

"Good…." Raze spoke pleased, looking at the information on the paper. "That's all for now, you two can go."

The two nodded before leaving. Passing by Brick, who gave them a small nod before entering the room and approaching Raze.

"Although I don't like their methods, ice brains are really efficient when it takes." Brick said, drinking his coffee and glancing at the paper. 

"Are you going after him?"

"No. This is out of my hands." Raze replied, leaving the paper on the table and going to the gun closet.

"I thought this is your job, bro." Brick said, raising an eyebrow.

"It was my job. Lucian decided to take care of it personally, the address is for him."

"Well, boss orders are boss orders." Brick shrugged, turning to leave.

"I hope you have lined up the men." Raze said, Making Brick stop and give the bigger lycan a confused look.

"Hah?"

"Lucian said you should choose some men and then go see him." Raze replied, although that only added to Brick's confusion.

"I thought we're out of the case after the subway mess. With Trix being killed, the both of us being shot, stabbed and all that charming stuff." 

"Only I was 'taken out of the case' as you say." He took a tactical belt and a desert eagle, placing it on the table. "Arm yourself and choose someone from the den. I'm sure everyone will be more than happy to go if there is a fight happening."

"I think he is expecting some trouble if he's asking me to take some pair of extra claws." Brick commented as he took the paper with the address and put on his belt, fastening the gun in the holster.

"After the last incident, I don't think he wants to risk another escape." 

"I wouldn't risk either." Brick looked briefly at Raze when he finished putting the gun, almost feeling bad for the bigger lycan.

"Are you going to be okay bro? I hope you're not all sad because you were left out of the party."

Raze's response to that was to pick up a 12-gauge Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun and throw it roughly at Brick, who held the gun and saw that it was loaded with UV.

"Just don't screw it up." Raze spoke in an intonation that said 'I'm going to kick your ass if you screw it up.'

"No promises." Brick said, smiling a little as he discarded the empty cup and grabbed a jacket from the arsenal before leaving.

As he passed the den wearing his jacket and giving the gun one last check, he noticed that the four Lycans were still arguing and by now they would be fighting in their wolf forms if it weren't for Lucian's prohibitions.

"Hey, three stooges." Brick called to them, whistling when they ignored it and finally drawing attention. "Get ready, we will put all this nerve in a real fight."

* * *

The six lycans looked at the five-story apartment building from the top of a neighboring building they were in. Lucian looked at the place with a serious and focused expression, his eyes attentive to every detail. Brick was doing the same, although in a different way than the lycan leader.

"He doesn't care much about stewardship, huh? Looks like an apartment I had in Miami." Brick said, looking at the building.

"Gabriel… just stay alert and ready." Lucian sighing. "I will not allow any more mistakes or failures, we will succeed tonight."

"Relax boss. Me and the three musketeers here are going to make sure our guest comes with us nice and easy." Brick said, gesturing to the four lycans.

"Good."

"Do you know if he's already here?" Brick asked, looking for Michael's scent nearby.

"No, not yet. But…." Lucian closed his eyes briefly, inhaling the air. His dominion over his heightened senses allowing him to feel the familiar presence of his nocturnal enemies.

"We have some... unwanted company."

Brick raised an eyebrow in confusion, which was replaced by a mental slap when he recognized the scent he had previously smelled on the subway, the smell of that female death dealer with eyes so dead as his.

"Bloods!" One of the four lycans snarled, spitting when his face elongated briefly in a more wolfish appearance before returning to normal.

Yeah, guys, showtime." Brick said, cocking the shotgun he had in hand. 

With that the four lycans roared when their bodies grew to the point of tearing their clothes when they change to their wolf forms, jumping into the building and climbing with his claws. Brick give Lucian a curious look when he saw that the older lycan didn't look like he was going to interfere.

"So... let's go?"

"I assumed you would prefer to take care of this alone since I know you love a fair match." Lucian said, giving a small smile of fun.

"Yeah, sure. But what are you going to do meanwhile?" Brick asked.

"Wait." Lucian answered casually, looking at the building when several feral roars sounded from inside. 

"Then enjoy the show." Brick spoke, falling down to his feet before he started running into the building.

Brick went to the elevator, pressing the button and keeping the shotgun high and his senses alert when the elevator started to go up to the fifth floor.

He could feel the death dealer smell invading his senses like a plague. This added to the sounds of gunshots and the memory of their first meeting, was a clear indication that she was not the ordinary less death dealer he usually faced. The prospect of facing someone skilled after so long was enough to put a smile on his face. 

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he was greeted by the death dealer standing right in front of the elevator door, guns raised and firing in the direction of the corridor. As soon as the last lycan fell to the ground, she turned just in time to see Brick about to shoot her in the head with the shotgun.

In response to this, the death dealer grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and forced Brick to aim upwards, creating a hole in the ceiling when the lycan suddenly fired the gun. She tried to aim her automatic Beretta at Brick's head, but he hit the gun from her hand and pushed hard enough to send her flying against the wall.

The vampiress let out a small low hiss of pain, which she quickly suppressed when Brick tried to shoot her again with the shotgun. Due to the short distance between them, she was able to hold the gun again and force the butt of the gun to hit Brick hard in the head several times, causing the lycan to growl in anger.

In retaliation he pushed her back against the wall, keeping her trapped above the ground with the gun pressed against her. The death dealer, not giving up, wrapped her thighs around his waist and turned, sending the lycan to the floor. She pushed the shotgun away and pulled out her other Beretta, rising over Brick and pressing the barrel of the gun to his forehead. 

"That was an interesting move." Brick scoffed, smirking despite his handicap.

His comment only served as an extra motivation for the death dealer to pull the trigger and fill the lycan's skull with bullets. She was about to shoot, until the elevator door opened and caught their attention.

A young man with dirty blond hair stepped out of the elevator, looking at the bodies now naked in the corridor and then at the two immortal opponents with a look of fear and shock. The vampiress narrowed her eyes at the young human, her focus now away from the lycan who noticed the window of opportunity.

'Right in time.' Brick thought, hitting the death dealer on the head with a knee strike, knocking her down and return to his feet. 

He was about to reach Michael and knock him out, but the death dealer kicked Brick in the heel, causing him to fall to the floor. She quickly got back to her feet, but before she could do anything, the lycan got up kicking her out of the way. As soon as he stood up, she tried to hit him in the face, but Brick grabbed his wrist before hitting her with a punch and throws her against the wall.

Michael, who was already scared and confused enough, took advantage of the empathy between the two immortals to hurry back to the elevator. He desperately pressed the button on the ground floor button, breathing heavily through his nerves.

'Damn it!' Brick thought, but his line of reasoning was interrupted when the vampire hit him with an uppercut from the palm of his hand, followed by a punch that drove him away. 

He tried to fight back, but he only managed to create a crack in the wall when she dodged. He tried again, but she just ducked and his fist sank into the wooden wall. Letting out a frustrated roar, he pulled the fist out of the wood with a backhand aimed at the vampire's head, but she grabbed and spun his fist, throwing the lycan over her shoulder.

Brick's eyes widened when he felt himself being lifted off the ground, before he flew violently against the door of one of the apartments that collapsed on impact. This, however, was momentary, as he started to get up with his hand on the gun holster.

"Not bad, but you will need to do better if you want…." He didn't finish speaking. Because when he stood up, he saw that the death dealer had already picked up the berettas and was aiming on him.

'Shit'

Brick threw himself aside as the vampire pulled the trigger. Although he saved himself from three shots that would have caught him in the chest and head, he was unable to avoid the four shots that hit the side of the abdomen and the right shoulder.

"Fuck!" He roared in pain as he fell to the ground, holding the wounds that burned by the presence of silver.

Despite the throbbing pain of his wounds, Brick forced himself to remove the desert eagle and shoot through the wall in hopes of hitting the vampiress, who got out of the way of the lycan bullets that went through the wall. 

When the death dealer gave no sign that she was going to go through the door to finish him off, he lowered the now empty gun and just sank to the floor. 

"It hurts, you know?! Literally burns like hell If you believe one or whatever! Fuck…." He cried out in pain and frustration, tearing at his shirt and taking a look at his injured abdomen. 

The silver bullets was simply too much to remove manually and the pain was not helping. In fact, younger lycans would have already died with that amount of silver inside their bodies, but due to Brick's age, he could take it. Although it still caused him a lot of pain. 

He closed his eyes, visualizing the muscles and objects lodged in it, his pain being channeled into a bestial rage that brought out lesser characteristics of his wolf form: eyes changing to their cloudy deep blue color and teeth growing in sharp animal canines.

All lycans have developed a tolerance for silver over the centuries they have spent fighting death dealers, as well as more control over the change. But Brick was one of the few who worked hard to learn the skill that was about to serve him well right in time.

The injured lycan used all his concentration to visualize his muscles pushing the bullets out of the holes. The sensation of sore muscle tissue moving and something burning going up through the skin was a sign that it was working, but it was still quite painful, even for someone like him who was already used to pain and the process of expelling strange objects.

As the bullets bounced out of Brick's body, he could hear several shots puncturing the wooden floor in the hall. He didn't understand what the vampiress was doing and he honestly didn't care, as his focus was on just expelling the bullets that were slowly rising and jumping out of his body.

As soon as the last bullet jumped, a piece of the corridor floor seemed to collapse and he clearly heard hurried footsteps running down the floor. 'You played well, bloodrayne.' He thought, getting up slowly. 

Although the bullets were not in his body, the wounds would still take time to heal due to the presence of the silver now removed. But now, he could solve it the way he liked it: violently and quite aggressive.

He then let his anger spread through his body. With the silver totally off him, he was feeling his body work the way he wanted it when his bones started to crack and his muscles grew in greater proportion, tearing his clothes and revealing a body with grey hair. Brick's face lengthened until it formed a short snout and his nails grew in claws sharper than many blades.

The lycan now fully transformed into his wolf form, let out a furious roar that echoed throughout the building. His mind was now filled with aggression and the need to hunt down the responsible for his wounds. Brick's now-peaked senses allowed him to smell the vampire's scent moving out of the building.

Brick ran furiously into the hole in the hall window, seeing his dead comrades only providing extra motivation for him to double the speed of the run. As soon as he reached the window hole, the grey lycan looked down and saw the death dealer getting into a car and dragging Michael with her.

Listening to his most basic and animalistic instincts that were screaming for a piece of the death dealer that cause him so much pain, Brick jumped down, plummeting the five floors before conveniently falling on top of the moving car, clinging to the roof of the car with his claws. 

Brick punched the car, causing the vehicle to shake violently to the driver's annoyance. He broke the driver's window, trying to grab the vampire with his claws, but it was a futile attempt. The vampire in turn took her Beretta and pointed at the ceiling, pulling the trigger and hitting the lycan that fell forward in the car.

Brick clutched the hood with his claws, roaring and snarling aggressively at the death dealer who just stared at him with eyes shining in an electric blue color that showed nothing but contempt for the werewolf. Michael, on the other hand, was trying to understand whether what he was seeing was real or not.

"What the fuck is this thing?!" Michael screamed the moment Brick lunged forward, breaking the windshield and grabbing the vampire's shoulder with his wolf canines that sank deep into her flesh.

She cried out briefly in pain when she felt the lycan bite her shoulder in a brutal way. The death dealer however would not succumb to the pain, she would get that animal out of the car no matter what. The vampire drew her knife, thrusting violently into the side of the lycan's face and pushing forward into the skin. Brick roared in agony, the pain and burning of the silver causing him to loosen the shoulder of the death dealer who hit him in the face with the tip of the gun.

The blow made his grip on the hood of the car falter and as a result he was swept under the car, the wheels going over before the vehicle moved on as the injured lycan rolled briefly down the street before stopping. Brick stood up slowly, growling in pain and anger.

"No." Brick looked at the owner of the voice and saw that it was Lucian, in a very bloody state. "Let her go, I already got what we needed anyway." 

Brick looked at the lycan leader, even with his fury and hunger screaming to be quenched, he still felt quite confused when he saw the bullet wounds that Lucian had in the forehead and neck. If he were in his human form, he would be making a face.

"I ... don't ... understand ... how ... this can be a success." Brick said between crackles and pauses as he returned to his human form. "No offense, but you look like bloody shit."

Lucian just looked at the wounds his subordinate was carrying, giving a wicked smile.

"You made your point." Brick said, cringing when he tried touching the cut cheek. "That's hurts… I still don't understand how having our asses kicked can be considered a success."

Lucian's response to this was to show a small bottle containing a red fluid that Brick recognized as blood. It took a second before he understood the meaning of this.

"You took his blood." Brick finished and Lucian nodded in response.

"It will tell us if he is really the one we need. It's not necessary apply more effort than required old friend." Lucian said, putting the bottle back in his coat.

"Well, that solves the problem. But how did you…." Brick would have slapped himself if he was hurt enough. 'of course.'

"You bit him."

Lucian said nothing, just kept a neutral expression on his face. Although it spoke more than words to the lycan companion who knew him well enough to understand his silence.

"I didn't think you were in the mood for new recruits, boss." Brick said, letting out a short laugh that he stopped when his cut face throbbed in pain. "The last time I checked the calendar was two days before the full moon. But ... are you sure this is good insurance? Trinity took him."

"He'll look for us when he realizes what he's become. That's our way." Lucian replied, certain of his own words.

"Whatever you say, boss." Brick said, starting to follow Lucian when he started to walk away. Brick had his doubts that Michael could survive the turn process, but he was going to keep that to himself.

"So, how's the head?" Brick asked, looking at the gunshot wounds Lucian had.

"Healing." Lucian replied, massaging the forehead area near the bullet hole. "You?"

"I learned your expelling Jedi trick one hundred years ago now." Brick replied proudly, pointing to the holes in his abdomen free of silver bullets.

"And is it working?"

"No." He admitted when the wounds bothered him again, making Lucian laugh.

"Courage old friend. You can wash and heal your wounds once we arrive."

"What are the chances of you carrying me?"

"Null."

* * *

The pair went straight to Singe's laboratory as soon as they returned to the den. Earning a surprised look from the Austrian lycan when he noticed their injuries.

"A second escape, perhaps Raze was not exaggerating."

"Raze didn't bring it back." Lucian said, handing the bottle to Singe and smiling in triumph.

"If Michael is indeed the carrier, the vampires will…"

"Relax Heisenberg, Lucian signed a very good insurance to make sure we won't lose him." Brick said as he picked up some wet wipes and started to wipe the blood from the healed wounds.

"What does he mean?" Singe asked.

"I tested his flesh." Lucian replied. "There are only two days until the full moon. Soon he will be a lycan, soon he will come looking for us."

"I hope he doesn't expect any champagne reception. The most he'll have is coffee." Brick commented, taking a boot and wearing pants, looking at the now healed face in a mirror.

Feeling satisfied, Singe went to the back of the lab in an excited and anxious way, preparing everything to analyze the blood sample collected and find out if they had actually found the carrier.

"I am the only one who thinks it's weird the way he's play around with the whole crazy scientist thing?" Brick asked as he put on a black shirt and watched Singe work.

"Maybe, but it is useful." Lucian replied, his eyes following Singe impatiently to know the result of the blood.

"Yeah, whatever." Brick shrugged. "What do you need me for now boss?"

"Nothing for now. Our next step depends only on the result of this sample. You can rest if you want, did a good job tonight."

"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some sleep before I have a headache that lasts for about ten years." Brick spoke up, leaving the lab and going to his makeshift quarters in the den

'That was a one hell of a party'

* * *

**The next night**

The waters of the beach created a kind of low melody when they briefly hit the sand under the pier, where two unconscious and totally immobile figures were resting, almost as if they had not escaped an accident that could have taken their lives hours ago.

Selene slowly opened her eyes when she felt herself regaining consciousness. She stood up alertly and cautiously for any kind of danger when she didn't recognize anything around, but that was only until she noticed the makeshift tourniquet that had been made on her shoulder.

As she looked at her shoulder now in perfect condition due to her accelerated healing, memories of what had happened came back to her like a slap. The battle in the apartment, the lycan bite that resulted in her losing consciousness due to blood loss, the car collision …

Selene turn her attention from the healed shoulder to the second presence under the pier with her: Michael, lying on the sand and totally unconscious. She stared at the unconscious human with narrowed eyes before looking confusedly at the injured shoulder.

'Did he treat my wound after I assault him in his own home and abducted him at gunpoint?' Selene thought, confused.

She shook those thoughts from her head as she stood up. How confused it made her and how she felt about it was something that could be left out, she still needed to know why the lycans were so committed to going after him after all.

Approaching the inconsistent human, Selene bent over him and pulled him over her shoulder, carrying him and starting to get out from under the pier.

* * *

The mansion's property was as it had been, protected and safe. Nothing too special for Selene, who had jumped over the fence and headed for the lawn area where she knew the window would be open.

With a single jump, she reached the high window and entered her private suit. Going straight to the couch where she carefully laid Michael. There was no need to be harsh, especially considering what he had done for her.

She gave him a brief condolent look before walking away and going to the wardrobe, grabbing a leather shirt and pants, heading for the bathroom. She took one last look at the unconscious human on the couch before closing the door and starting to undress.

Once she had discarded the bloodied bodysuit Selene dressed in the clothes she had picked up and went back to the room where she will let Michael rest.

Seeing how immobile and out of it he was, she just went over to the couch and sat down next to Michael to wait. As she watched the human man, she was quite intrigued by how peaceful he seemed to be despite everything that had happened. However, the agitated movement of his eyes under his eyelids revealed to Selene that although the outside looked calm, inside he was really quite agitated.

Looking at him like that, it made Selene think of the repercussions it would have. Michael's presence would raise many questions and she knew it. Although she was prepared to answer them, there was still the question that she herself had to answer: why to bring him here. She needed answers on top of everything, but there was still a part of her that felt doubtful if that was the only reason behind it.

Selene put these thoughts aside when she noticed Michael starting to move, opening her eyes in a frightened way and almost jumping off the couch, being stopped when she put a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Lay still, your skull's taken a big knock. You're be unconscious for a while." Selene said, pushing Michael calmly on the couch. "Do you have any idea why those men were after you?"

"Where am i?" Michael asked confusedly, looking wearily between her and the unfamiliar place for him.

"You're safe." Selene replied, reassuring him. "I am Selene."

Her name was the last thing Michael heard before he felt his eyes start to close when tiredness and exhaustion returned. The faint expression of condolence on her cold, beautiful face was the last thing Michael saw when his vision was filled with darkness a second time.

"So the rumors are true." Selene turned to the source of the voice, but looked back at Michael when she recognized the blonde vampire. "The whole house has been absolutely buzzing about your new pet."

"Oh God, you're going to try to turn him, aren't you?" Erika spoke with a puzzled expression.

"Of course not." Selene said.

"So why did you bring him here?" Erika asked, making Selene ponder this for a second.

He was a target of lycans for reasons she didn't understand, and she needed answers. But the truth is …

"He saved my life." Selene replied. "Why are you here?"

"Kraven sent me, he wants to see you, now." Erika said.

With that Selene looked a great time at the unconscious human on his couch before getting up and heading towards the door, stopping to stare at Erika when she remembered who she was leaving alone with an unconscious human.

"Keep an eye on him, but don't do anything stupid." Selene spoke in a seriously harsh tone before leaving the room.

She walked down the corridors towards Kraven's office, hoping that the arrogant regent would take a moment to listen to what she had to say. Although Selene doubted that Kraven would stop hearing the sound of his own voice to listen to her, she still had to try.

Selene opened the office doors, meeting Kraven's furious gaze evenly. He dropped the hookah he was smoking as soon as Selene entered.

"We need to talk." Selene said.

"Yes we need." Kraven spoke in an initially calm tone, but Selene saw that he was about to shout. "Your attitude is completely unacceptable! You went against my orders and spent the night away from the mansion, with a human! A human you brought to my house!"

"As far as I'm concerned this is still Viktor's house." Selene said, much to the annoyance of Kraven who hit the table angrily.

"Look, I don't want to argue you." She continued, remaining calm. "I just need you to understand that Michael is somehow important to the lycans-"

"Oh so now it's Michael?!"

"Kraven can you just hear me out?!" Selene snapped, impatient and irritated.

"I don't understand why you are obsessed with this ridiculous theory! Lucian wouldn't be interested in a human, Michael or anyone!" 

Selene had to force herself not to narrow her eyes at him when she heard the name of that name. The name of the lycan who's having be killed by the vampire in front of her.

Or maybe not.

"Wait a minute." Kraven's expression of anger and disgust at the death dealer seemed to intensify even more. "You're infatuated with him, aren't you?"

"Now this is a ridiculous theory." Selene replied, outraged by Kraven's nonsense.

"We'll see." Kraven said, passing furiously by her.

"What are you doing?" Selene asked, only for Kraven to ignore and leave the office. She followed close behind when she saw that he was about to do something stupid.

When they were getting to her room, they both quickened their pace even more when they heard the high-pitched sound of a vampire hissing. As soon as they entered the room, Kraven passed the maid and went to the open window. Selene in turn, looked at the window where Kraven was before looking at the sofa where Michael was no longer.

"What did you do?" Selene asked, giving Erika a sharp look.

"Nothing. He woke up and went out the window when-"

"Leave us!" Kraven ordered furiously to Erika, who left the room practically running to not aggravate the regent's wrath any more.

Kraven approached Selene, with a look of anger so great it would have frightened another, but it is Selene we are talking about. Even when he slap her in the face, she didn't make a sound, just clenched her fists and used an enormous amount of willpower to not give the despicable regent what he deserved, this until he disappeared from her sight.

'that cowardly bureaucrat will pay for this slap.'

* * *

While most of those present at the dojo were practicing or just inspecting their weapons, Selene was doing much more than target practice in the training area. 

She pulled the trigger, hitting several rounds in rapid succession across the face of the bust. With each shot fired, she fervently imagined Kraven's face being hit violently by the silver round. A healthier exercise than having to bear the consequences of giving the regent that she so badly wanted to hurt what he deserved.

'Lucian wouldn't be interested in a human, Michael or anyone.' his words were still repeating in her head like a kind of poorly solved puzzle. Kraven wouldn't speak that name for nothing and Selene knew it. Besides, he was so immersed in his own anger that it couldn't have been anything but a slip.

"I sure hope you never get pissed off at me." Selene, who had already emptied the gun in her hand, looked briefly at the weapons master who approached her at the dojo.

"Hold on." Kahn said to Selene when she was about to reload. taking a type of pistol and holding it out. "Check this out."

Selene studied the handgun with curiosity and saw that it was in fact a Heckler & Koch USP Match, although it appeared to be a very modified version of it.

"Go ahead, squeeze off a few."

Selene took the trip and fired three rounds at the bust. Although it had no different effect besides piercing the bust, she soon saw that a silver liquid was dripping from the bullet holes.

"Eject the mag." Kahn said.

As soon as Selene removed the magazine, she stared at the rounds that were filled with the same silver liquid.

"You've copied the lycans rounds, silver nitrate" Selene said, an impressed expression briefly appearing on her face.

"A lethal dose."

"They are not going to be able to dig out as they usually do." Selene concluded, handing the magazine and the gun back to the death's trading partner.

"Straight into the bloodstream, there's nothing to dig out." Kahn confirmed as he put the gun away.

"Tell me Kahn, do you believe that Lucian died as they say he did?" Selene asked. It had been bothering her since the argue with Kraven.

"I think Kraven has been telling war stories again, hasn't he?"

"Well that's just the point, it's nothing but an ancient story. His story. Not a shred of proof that he really killed Lucian, just his word." Selene said. Kraven was always a bureaucrat and not a fighter. Selene was never sure that someone like him could have killed Lucian. 

And after the discussion on his officer, the idea seemed quite possible now.

"Look Selene, I never underestimated Kraven's lust for advancement. But Viktor believed in him, and that's all that matters in my view. Now, where are you going with this anyway?" Kahn asked.

"Nowhere." Selene replied, walking past him and leaving the dojo now that her mind was calm enough to work.

There was only one place where she could get some answers. A very old place in the mansion which the access had been declared by the elders to be off limits. But now, it's going to be visited after a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

'When angels fall with broken wings, the assholes come to piss off me.' 

Brick thought as he looked out the window of the car he and his two fellows were in, watching as another vehicle slowly entered the street where this meeting was scheduled to take place.

"I don't need to say that you're going to have to stay calm and not kill him when he shows up." Lucian said when he saw Brick's murderous look.

"Yeah, whatever. Could I at least break a bone, or maybe get some skin off?" Brick asked, smiling wickedly as he imagined cutting off the vampire he despised so much.

"You're not going to do anything." Lucian said seriously, giving a glare that made Brick's smile disappear. "I need him with all the limbs and bones in place. Otherwise, he won't be of any use to me."

"At least one punch to the jaw? So we can spare our ears from the sound of that loud bitch voice."

"Gabriel, get out of the car and don't you dare do anything stupid." 

"You're the boss…" Brick sighed, getting out of the car and being followed by Raze.

Not feeling in the mood to be wet by the rain, Brick took refuge under a nearby ledge while Raze stayed by the car. The two kept their eyes focused on the car that would arrive when the "whip masturbator" went out and opened the back door for the regent of his coven, who gave the Lycans a dismissive look.

Brick returned Kraven's look with a small sly grin. While Kraven looked at the lycan with disdain, Brick in turn was imagining a thousand and different ways to hurt the arrogant vampire who disappeared into Lucian's car as soon as Raze opened the door for him.

'I swear if they keep facing each other like that, I will feel in need to ask if they want a room.' Brick thought evilly as he watched Raze and Soren stare at each other in the rain with looks that express well both their will to hurt themselves.

Shaking his head briefly and ignoring the display of hostility between the two, Brick focused on his enhanced hearing, suppressing the noise of rain and all the sounds of the surroundings, focusing only on the sounds that were being emitted inside the car where the conversation was taking place.

"Engaging with death dealers in public, and she has to run after some human, that is not what I had in mind!"

'Jesus Christ, listening to this guy is more boring than facing eight hours of Empire by Andy Warhol.' 

"You were told, you were told to just set up things and lay low-"

"You better stay calm, Kraven." Gloved hands grip something abruptly and Brick smiled as he realized that Lucian had lost his temper. "The human is none of your concerns. Besides, I've been laid low for enough time!"

When Lucian released his grip, the car fell into a tense and heavy silence when neither of them spoke any more.

"Just keep your men at bay, Lucian. At least for now." Kraven said, breaking the silence despite his discomfort. "Don't make me have to regret our agreement."

"You just concentrate on your part. Remember, I've bled for you once already. Without me, you would have nothing. You would be nothing."

'It's impressive how much more painful the truth can be than any kind of cursing.' Brick thought when he saw Kraven getting out of the car with a less than satisfied expression.

Brick couldn't help but smile widely at the humiliated state in which Kraven left, mockingly waving at the moving car.

Although he had the blood memories of his siren to keep him motivated to fight for his own people, Brick did not taste slavery and the the coven's cruelty directly on his skin as his brethren had. That was one of many reasons why he put anger and resentment aside for a long time instead of hating all the vampire's species. 

After all, his time in war as a human taught him that there are troops following orders and the real enemy pulling the strings.

The treacherous and cowardly types like Kraven being a good example of these enemies. Even obeying the orders he had to not kill him, Brick never understood why Lucian chose him among all the vampires to support his plan. The regent, in all his lust for power and domination was far from being fully reliable. That was a certainty that the lycan carried with him since he smelled the little vampire for the first time that night that marked the history of both species, since he was so close to tearing him apart...

And even centuries later, hatred still burned in their hearts, as hot as the flames that once burned that fortress to the ground.

"Run home so you can cry on the pillow cuck." Brick said, backing inside the car and sitting next to Lucian. "So… how was things with Narendra Modi?"

"Since I know you were listening to every word, I'm not going to give any details."

"At least give me the details of how you can hear his bitchvoice for so long." Brick said, taking a cigarette to his lips and lighting it. "The guy has a mouth bigger than mine, this meeting was nothing but him complaining like a little girl."

"What bothers Kraven is irrelevant, the priorities are in moving to the next step." 

"Next step huh. So by the count, Michael is for real our moby dick?" Brick asked, blowing some of the smoke. Lucian just nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, I think it's time to finish what I started early. I really need to do a little exercise." 

"Except you won't. That is out of your hands."

"Lucian, are you really suggesting that I sit this one out?." Brick asked, looking at the Lycan leader in disbelief.

"I am not suggesting anything, I have already decided. This matter will be solved but not by you." Lucian said in a firm manner that made it clear that he had already decided and that was how it would be. "There's another task that I need you to supervise personally, boths of you actually." 

"And that would be?"

"Getting the second key to our success old friend." Lucian replied as he looked out the window thoughtfully, his eyes focused and showing an indomitable fire. "Even if we get Michael, we will still need another component to be successful in our plan. An elder's blood."

"And I highly doubt that we can just knock at the ördögház door and ask for a piece of the sleeping elders. Even with kraven's support, the entire coven would welcome us with guns drawn and loaded."

"That's why you and Raze are going to be ready tomorrow night at the train station." Lucian explained. "Amelia and the council will arrive, I want you to take care of them and bring me her blood."

"Huh. At least I'm going to have something to keep me distracted." Brick said as he took a drag on his cigarette.

Although his relaxed and calm exterior gave the image of someone who agreed with this plan, inside he was formulating his own plan to avoid an unnecessary death.

'Time to be the knight in a shining armor that all ladies wish, I guess'

* * *

After a while, they returned to the den. Each turning to their own doing. Raze isolated himself in a private area of the den and focused his attention on organizing the details of the ambush as Lucian had ordered. The fall of Amelia and the council would be a big turn in their favor, as well as leaving them one step closer to winning this war. 

Raze, who was motivated by his old rage and grudge against his mortal enemies declared by the whip blow, formulated a strategy of brutal attack. Brick meanwhile, flipped through a magazine of random articles he found while secretly thinking about his own plan.

One that he hoped would not spark Lucian's rage.

"Are you going to get your face out of these articles or what?" Raze, who was already impatient, spoke.

"That's your way of saying that your bald head needs my help with this little plan?" Brick asked mockingly as he removed his attention from the articles.

"That's my way of saying that you could get your ass out of that chair and do something useful." Raze replied angrily. 

"Just say it." Brick pushed, flipping through the magazine again to Raze's annoyance.

"Your tactical input could be useful, so can you come here and give me a hand?" Raze snorted in exasperation, much to the delight of his fellow lycan who smiled even more.

"Very good big guy! Was it this so hard?" Brick teased, earning an angry growl from Raze. He got up and went to the table with the map. "So, what exactly are we seeing here?"

"The map of Budapest train station, the station where Amelia and the council members are going to arrive tomorrow night." 

"Yeah, looks right." Brick commented while looking at the map. "I don't think you spent all that time just staring at this, so you have a plan?"

"Yes. Without the death dealer that would normally escort them arrive, we can carry out an armed ambush. Wait for the train with men taking positions here and there." Raze explained, indicating various points on the map marked in red. "As soon as the locomotive arrives, we open fire and eliminate the crew before they can notice us."

"This looks like a plan that would screw up things. I don't wanna hit Amelia in a chaotic and uncontrolled gun battle between us and the guards who are going to be protecting her and the council. " Brick said, mentally cursing himself when he noticed the suspicious look Raze gave him. 

"We need to get her blood, and we won't be able to do that if Amelia is turned into a pile of ashes. Ya got it now?" Brick explained, hoping that this argument would be enough to convince the big lycan.

"So what's your suggestion?" Raze asked, still maintaining the same frown of suspicion.

"A closer approach." Brick took the marker and scribbled badly drawn wolves in the middle of the map. "I don't doubt that the security team could be a problem, but they are in small numbers and don't expect us to show up. If we make the change, we can take them down quickly."

"And prevent the blood collect from being compromised." Raze concluded, a hand lightly scratching his chin as he looked at the map thoughtfully. "Yes, it could work."

"So we agreed. Let the boys have their fun on a night of work." Brick sang, suppressing a sigh of relief when the suspicion disappeared from Raze's face. "Speaking of which, you've already chosen the men who are going to come along?"

"Not yet, I'm being meticulous about who is coming with us. This is a delicate task and I don't need hungry and unfocused young ones to spoil." Raze replied.

"So is a service for the old school huh? Yeah, will do it." Brick said while filling a cup with coffee. "By the way, who is the unlucky dude in Mr Corvin's case?"

"Singe."

Brick had to restrain himself from spitting out all the coffee when his ears registered what had just come out of the big lycan's mouth. He looked at Raze, who had a barely concealed smirk on his face.

"Really?"

Raze said nothing, just smirked even more. A smile that spoke for itself. Unlike Brick, he didn't care who takes the human as long as they were successful. That was the reason why his lycan fellow's indignation was so fun to watch.

"Whatever, I don't know why I care anyway. I'm just going to… donno, enjoy the break or something. You can choose the men by yourself since I fixed your western movie plan." Brick said, drinking the rest of the coffee and discarding the cup angrily before leaving for anywhere else in the den.

The plan was already formed, now he had to wait until the next night to put it into practice. Although it could get out of hand and go totally wrong, it was something he needed to try. But now, all he wanted to do was sit with some of the fellows in the den to enjoy the temporary tranquility.

'Let the austrian scientist who looks like some kind of aspiring Dr Loomis handle this. No chance of coming back and biting us in the ass later'

* * *

**The mansion**

Heat and humidity produced by hot water were the second most prevalent thing in the bathroom, anxiety and the need for help being the first. Letter after letter were made in the mirror, forming the name of the one she could turn to before wiping moisture from the glass.

"Please forgive me, but I need your guidance." Selene spoke as she watched her own image in the mirror.

Suspicions were all she had, but after examining the mansion's library, her suspicions were now unsettling certainties. A threat over the entire coven was approaching, and she was the only one who could see through the web of lies and conspiracies that were made to cover it up. 

She needed not only guidance, but also the help of the one she could trust. But to achieve this, there was an old law established centuries ago that it would have to break.

* * *

Descending the stairs that led to the lowest part of the mansion, Selene stopped in front of the glass in the monitoring room and faced the vampire in charge of watching the crypt.

"Duncan, Kahn wants to see you." Selene spoke to the fellow death dealer, taking his attention away from the monitors.

"Did he say what it was about?"

"No, just asked me to send you up." 

"Well, I can't just go out and leave things like that."

"I hold things here until you come back." Selene offered it casually, her icy exterior not showing her true intentions.

"All right." Duncan said, finally getting up and leaving the crypt free.

'It's time.' Selene thought, staring at the chamber's locked doors and letting out one last breath before heading to the now empty monitoring room.

Operating the controls, Selene opened the doors of the resting place to the elders whom she and all the death dealers had a duty to protect during their rest. Walking into the chamber, she headed toward the grave with an ornate V design. After a brief moment of hesitation, she reached for the mechanism and pulled the coffin off the floor.

While watching the hibernating shape of the closest thing to a father figure she has had since the tragedy that changed her life completely, Selene couldn't help pondering this a second time. The awakening had never been realized by someone like her, only the elders alone had the power to organize their memories and thoughts into a single coherent and accurate view.

However, not even the elders had broken the chain in the entire history of their respective reigns. But now, she needed it. Not just because of her discovery that everyone was in danger, but because she had no one else she could trust to ask for help or who could do the right thing.

She just hoped that Viktor would hear this appeal, and that her memories could justify his actions.

Determined and ready, Selene brought her wrist to her lips and stuck her fangs in it. Taking the leaky wound to the coffin and letting her blood make its way to the mummified body that has inside. Any chance of going back now has been totally ruled out, as the awakening had begun. 

Although whoever looked at it had no visible changes, the blood that was driven by the device had already begun to spread across Viktor's weakened body. Bringing with it not only the spark of strength and vitality that he needed to awaken from hibernation, but also the memories that flooded his secular sleep in the form of confused flashes with no time order.

Pushing the coffin to the deepest parts of the elders' chamber, Selene took her attention from Viktor's sleeping body to all the instruments in the room. In addition to the dark purple coat belonging to the next male elder to sit on the throne, there were also several instruments for connecting tubes connected to various blood bags in the room.

Removing her coat from its waiting area and reaching for the bags full of blood, Selene grabbed a pair of tweezers and several tubes that she began to connect to her sleeping sire's mummified body, connected the tubes to the blood bags that will start pumping the plasma that Viktor would need to regain his strength. 

Everything was ready, she could do nothing but wait for him to wake up to hear her. About to leave the chamber, Selene retreated to the back room where she had left Viktor's body when the doors suddenly opened with none other than Soren on the other side.

The watchful eyes of the old coven flogger scanned the elders' chamber for anything that indicated a violation or that someone had been present there. But… to Soren's frustration, there was nothing he could see. Although the suspicion still remained, the vampire was satisfied and sealed the doors again, much to the relief of Selene, who let out a brief sigh when she heard the sound of the doors being closed.

Leaving through the door parallel to the main entrance of the chamber, Selene came across not only Soren, but also Kraven and Erika in the monitor room. The blonde vampire look at the death dealer with mild surprise before turning her attention to the monitors where the familiar image of a Michael being soaked by the rain in front of the gate of the mansion.

"Selene! I want to speak with Selene!" Michael's voice came over the intercom, making Selene hurry into the room when she recognized the familiar human voice that saved her life hours ago.

"Is that Michael?" Kraven asked, his voice pouring out barely contained anger. Selene looked between him and the monitor while Michael continued to scream.

"Is that Michael?!" Kraven asked furiously again, but Selene, practically ignoring his presence, went to the monitor.

"I'm coming out." She said to Michael over the intercom before moving away from the screen and walking to the exit, much to the furious regent's indignation.

"If you go to him, you will never be welcome in this house again!" Kraven spoke through teeth angrily to Selene, who stopped to look at him apathetically while Erika watched the scene with curiosity.

"Now that Viktor has been awakened, let's see what he has to say about it." Selene spoke simply, turning and leaving the room. 

Kraven's expression was changed from angry to empty and shocked at the end of the sentence. Going into the elders' chamber was his first action as soon as Selene disappeared from everyone's view. His jealousy had been completely replaced by something far more urgent, his self-preservation. Kraven's eyes darted nervously between the ornate V on the floor to the throne which, to his relief, was still completely empty.

"I warned her." Erika murmured when she approached, catching Kraven's attention. "I warned her, but she didn't hear me, she never does. I should have told you soon ...."

"Tell me what? "Kraven asked. 

Hesitation and a little fear crossed the vampire's features before she dared to continue, for she knew that Kraven would not take well what she was about to reveal.

"The human… Michael, he is not a human after all. He is a lycan." 

"What?!" 

"What is this all about?" 

As quickly as it came, Kraven's rage and angry expression was totally replaced by a pale expression when his ears registered the voice of the third presence on the chamber thought to be empty. 

The atmosphere became much denser when the two vampires faced the dry and mummified form, but awakened from the elder who walked to the front of his throne before opening his eyes to look at his two servants who were looking at him with a mixture of awe and reverence.

* * *

Outside the mansion, the rain continued to fall hard and relentlessly on Michael as he waited by the gate in a certain hurry and discomfort for the woman who might be the only one to give some explanation as to why his life had been totally turned upside down in the last few two nights. Two nights that were nothing but full of doubts and races for his own life as he continued to wonder if he wasn't going crazy.

Michael pulled back a little when the gates opened the instant a car came towards him, the familiar sight of the woman at the wheel would have been comforting to him if she hadn't been looking at him with the same icy expression she had when she ambushed him in his apartment.

"Come in." Selene spoke, returning her attention to the front when Michael promptly got into the car as she started to speed away from the mansion.

"You can never come back here again, they will kill you." Selene spoke.

"Why? Who are you people?" Michael asked, somewhat exasperated. The amount of confusion he could tolerate had finally reached its limit, he needed answers.

Selene for her part was silent and her expression hesitant when she started to debate internally what to do, until the possibility of what he might be crossed her mind again. Pulling on Michael's shirt, the vampire's usually cold face briefly took on a shocked expression when she saw what was clearly a bite. 

Lucian's bite.

Leaning back in her seat while keeping her eyes fixed on the road, part of her was saying to stop the car and unload the pistol on his head. But she ... couldn't. Not when she still needed to know why he was being targeted since that subway shootout where all this mess started.

Releasing a sigh, she started. "Like it or not, you are in the middle of a war that has lasted for at least a thousand years. A blood feud between vampires and Lycans."

"Werewolves." She explained when she saw the confusion on his face. 

Although what she was saying should sound crazy, to Michael it wasn't. In reality, as unlikely as it was all she was saying, all the strange things he had witnessed ... that thing that attacked the car ... the man who bit him ... it all made a lot more sense despite how absurd it could be.

"Consider whether with luck, most humans die two hours after being bitten by an immortal. The viruses we transmit are deadly." Selene spoke as she turned the car around a corner.

"And if you bite me, what? I'd become a vampire instead?" Michael asked.

"No, you'd die." Selene answered bluntly, looking him dead in the eye. "No one's ever survives a bite from both species. By rights, I'd stop the car and kill you now mysel-"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU HELPING ME?"

"I AM NOT! I TRACK DOWN AND KILL YOUR KIND!" Selene stated angrily before she calmed down and continued. "My only interest is to find out why Lucian wants you so badly."

Not wanting to upset her more than there already was and already having enough of unlikely surprises and death threats for one night, Michael just stared at the rain through the car window, remaining silent as Selene continued to drive.


	4. Chapter 4

The journey carried by an awkward and heavy silence finally ended when the car stopped in front of its destination. Michael stared at the large, ruined-looking building as he stepped out of the car with curiosity and a measure of apprehension, but decided not to question it and just followed Selene towards the entrance to the place.

Although he was not comfortable with the idea of being in an abandoned place with someone who could easily kill him as she said she should, a small part of him felt he could trust her despite her icy exterior. Perhaps because she was the only one to give a relief to her mind tormented by doubts about everything he had seen.

Or for another reason …

"Since he bit me, I've been having these ... hallucinations." Michael spoke as he followed the vampiress up the flight of stairs. The mention of the visions he had witnessed was enough to make his head hurt. Confusing, incoherent and totally random. He could barely make sense of it, although he doubted it has anyone except mental stress finally peaked.

"These are not hallucinations, they are memories. You were bitten, so his memories were passed on to you."

Her words came out as neutral as ever, although with an extra touch of causality, like an adult explaining something as simple as the wind to a child. Although Michael didn't know, he was relieved to know that he wasn't going crazy, or uncomfortable to have memories of another living being in his head. Memories that weren't his, that didn't belong to him were all he didn't need. It was almost unhealthy, an involuntary invasion of privacy that he didn't even seem to be able to stop.

Not wanting to think about it, he just continued to follow her in silence. Between distressing whatever is going on inside his head and following a woman who radiated a… energy of lethality that intrigued him to some extent, he preferred the second option. 

"This is one of the places we use for interrogation." Selene said when they reached the top, opening the doors that led to the only clean room in the place. "You will be safe here."

Computers being booted and shutters opening to reveal the night sky were part of that room, revealing that it was in fact more advanced and tidy than the ruined exterior of the building makes it seem. Opening a freezer, Selene handed Michael a bag full of blood that he studied for a moment.

"Ziodex Industries." 

"We are the owners, when it is approved it will be our biggest source of income." Selene said, starting the safe house systems and configuring the cameras on the screens. Satisfaction was felt, but not shown in her stoic expression. The only clue was that lightly relaxed in her eyes when she saw that the place was still in a position to keep someone safe…

At least for a while.

"It's cloned blood…" Michael murmured, before looking around and noticing several objects on a table along with several worn and bloody silver bullets on top. The smell of the blood… of that blood felt nauseating and uncomfortable, as if he was trying to send some warning signal that his body didn't understand. This, however, did not stop his curiosity from getting the best of him when he asked, "What's this for?" Even though he felt like he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Lycans are allergic to silver." Selene replied, giving him a look before resuming typing. "If we don't get the bullets out fast, they will die during questioning."

"What do you do with them after?"

"We put the bullets back." Selene replied, cold, blunt and completely unperturbed by the fact. There was no reason to lie, or even try to hide it. It was just what it was, usual business, the underworld he would live in if it lasted so long. 

And for that, regardless of how dark and hard it was compared to his old life, he needed to learn how it worked if he wanted to have a chance at survival. 

Michael said nothing, not knowing if there was anything right to say about it. The meaning of the strange blood alert seemed much clearer now and judging by how indifferent she seemed about something as sinister as killing, he thought the best thing to do would be to sit and be quiet for now.

Selene watched him sit ironically in the place where the lycans were chained for questioning. Another in her place could appreciate the irony, but she simply left the ex-human to organize his thoughts while she went to the window where she stood watching the night sky with black rain clouds, entering her own moment of reflection to organize hers .

When looking at how complicated all this was being, she considered for several moments during the car ride and even now while breathing the same air as him if the best decision would not be to take the gun and put him out of the misery that would be his existence as soon as the full moon appeared. But for some reason, she felt that her conscience would not let her live peacefully if she did.

 _Conscience ... funny._ She never thought she really had one, at least not anymore. Completely erased over time. Everything she lived, how much she struggled, made sure to take care of it. However, now it was there, bothering her just for considering it and she couldn't explain why. Maybe because he didn't have any choice about what he became, and killing him would be no different than shooting a human for nothing, something she tried very hard to avoid.

Or maybe ... for another reason?

Shaking her head, she forced herself to think of something that was worth thinking about, not something that would do nothing but serve as a distraction. There would be a time for her to question herself, but now was not the time. If things went as she hoped, Viktor was already awake and all she needed to do was alert him to the situation. The rest would come as a result: the threat hovering over the coven would be eradicated along with the dog's nest hidden somewhere on the battlefield that was Budapest.

"How long are we going to stay here?" The pivot of her doubts asked, even while trying to keep her mind away he still found a way to regain her attention …

"As long as it takes." She answered simply. "Try to relax, it may take a while."

 _It is not exactly an easy task._ Michael thought, looking at the instruments of nefarious purpose beside him, the uncomfortable smell that this… lycan blood produced, seemed to somehow send feelings of discomfort down his spine. He didn't want to just sit back and allow himself to be plagued by these sensations or the discomfort in his mind, he wanted to avoid that.

As much as she wanted to keep her own doubts out of her head. 

"So… how long have you been doing this? Fighting this war I mean." He asked. It wasn't like he wanted to break the ice, but it was an opportunity to keep his problems away, to learn about such a war and perhaps even about the mysterious woman with him in the room.

"Long enough to be good at this." Selene replied, without taking her eyes off the window.

Seeing that she would not elaborate, he decided not to continue with this. If she didn't want to speak, he wouldn't force a conversation. Being here with him was probably the last thing she wanted to be doing. He might not understand every aspect of who she is or what she does, but he was not foolish enough not to understand her words that were very clear. "I track down and kill your kind". Exchanging two words with him, maybe even breathing the same air should be a big burden for her.

"Six centuries."

"Huh?" 

"I've been doing this for six centuries." Selene let out a short breath. There was no need to answer any such question, but she was strangely comfortable with that. Very strangely. She preferred to avoid any kind of interaction that might serve to add doubts in her mind about him, but they were here, and she would have to think about it eventually, talk to him eventually.

Understand how she felt eventually …

"Well… you look… good… for your age." The bewildered tone in Michael's voice, along with his awkward response, did not go unnoticed by the vampire who turned to look at him with an rise eyebrow.

"I… I didn't mean to say you're old or something! Because you're not! You're in good shape and-"

"I already understand, Michael." Selene interrupted him before he fumbled more in his little moment of embarrassment that became comical, which even caused a small smile to appear on her lips.

Michael for his part, although he was a little embarrassed, could not help but be surprised by the amused expression on the vampiress's face that until then had only exhibited coldness. It was something unique, like a little flash of heat on a huge mountain of ice. It was something he liked, something that made him smile a little awkwardly in return when he saw her stoic expression turn into fun for the first time since he met her.

That was until as quickly as it appeared, the brief moment of relaxation disappeared when the apathetic expression returned to the pale face of the vampiress who looked out the window again. The speed with which she did this did not go unnoticed by him, it was almost as if she had just done something that she did not find appropriate, it just intrigued him and made him wonder if the woman in front of him really relaxed at all.

"So it's true, do you guys live forever?" Michael asked, trying to get back to the topic.

"Practically. At least, if we are not killed by a lycan before we can put a round between their eyes." No matter how indifferent she tried to make her response sound, he could see a slight spark of anger in her words.

He was not so arrogant as to say that he understood her after exchanging just a few words with her in the short space of time they met without anything involving injuries or escape happening between them. But in a way, this was what intrigued him, she was an enigma to him, a real mystery that he didn't seem to be able to solve. But he could see, the anger barely contained, the contempt as burning as the sun that according to legends could burn those like her, was right there. This was personal.

"Why do you hate them so much?" 

Although it was just as curious a question as any he had ever asked, without the young doctor's knowledge, it instinctively made her mind go back to that fateful night that never left her memory. Even though six centuries had passed, it was still fresh in her mind. The sound of rain, the screams of despair, the pain in her heart, they face ...

"I told you, we're at war." Selene spoke categorically, her eyes focused on the rain that started to fall. Not a sign of the discomfort that she buried deeper inside displayed.

"So, is that it? Are you just following orders?" 

She looked out of the rain and towards Michael, who just looked at her hoping she would answer her question. But instead, she looked back at the window without saying a word.

"Why can't you just answer the question?"

 _Because it is not a question that can only be answered._ Selene thought, suppressing a sigh. In addition to being painful, it was not something she talked about. It was something she kept to herself, a reminder as sharp as a blade of why she needed to continue, of the reasons she had to fight. Talk about it ... she never wanted, never needed.

But why it felt so right to let off steam now and with him instead of everyone else, it was something she couldn't explain. After all, she never did. Not even for the few vampires sharing their same duties that came close enough for her to consider a friend. All she knew was that her mind was now on that night marked by blood and pain when the words started to come out of her mouth almost on impulse.

"Something was in the stable, cutting our horses to pieces. I could not have saved my mother or sister; their screams woke me up. My father died outside, trying to fight them away.

Michael, seeing where she was going with this, remained in respectful silence. This was clearly personal that he didn't have to snoop on, the most he could do was let her take what he needed from her chest.

Because even if he wasn't looking her in the eye, you could see the pain in her words.

"I was at my door, about to run to my nieces' room when…" she paused for a moment, hesitating. Something she rarely did. Not even when facing the most bestial and enraged lycan, not even on this rainy night when breaking the chain. She never hesitated, not until the memory of her faces came to her strongly "Twin girls, just six years old, slaughtered like animals."

"Jesus Christ…" 

"The next thing I knew was that I was in his arms. The war had invaded our home, he was tracking the lycans for days. He threw them out and saved me."

"Who?"

"Viktor, the oldest and strongest of us." A small and subtle affectionate smile, one of the few she has ever had, appeared on her lips when she quoted the elder vampire with some affection. She owed him a lot. "That night he made me a vampire, he gave me the strength to avenge my family. Since then ... I never looked back.""

Michael remained silent, having no idea what to say. 'An "I'm sorry for your loss" would not be far enough.' He thought. This was something very personal and tragic, and part of him was scolding himself for making her relive it. _So many different ways to start any conversation and I had to hit the bleeding wound. Stupid, you are stupid!_

"I saw your pictures." Selene spoke, drawing his attention. Curiosity in her voice, no longer the coolly composed tone from before, she was just as curious about the ex-human as he was about her. "Who is the woman your wife?"

It was his turn to look away when thinking about the memory of his own unhappy and tragic experience that he still carried with him. _Give and receive is what they say. We have something in common, we both have baggage, and she confided to me even though she didn't need to_. He sighed, gathering the courage to share his own pain with the woman who had done the same to him.

* * *

**The lycan den**

Pushing the plastic curtains out of his laboratory and removing his bloody gloves, Singe stopped walking when he noticed the head of the great body that was the horde circling right under his feet coming towards him.

"It would be wise to keep an eye on our cousins." Lucian said, much to the scientist's surprise.

"I thought Raze and the rude were going to mediate that-"

"I fear that I will have to place my faith in you, my friend." Lucian interrupted, resting a hand on Singe's shoulder. "Our time is… running short."

"I will do what I can." 

"I know." Her tone, while casual and even encouraging and friendly, was also clearly a warning. A clear indication that he would not tolerate more failures, a reminder for the little lycan to remember where those who were attributed to it before him made a mistake so he would not make a mistake.

Few people managed to put something like that in words so simple and short, but Lucian could and Singe understood perfectly the message that the pack's alpha was giving him. With a light friendly slap, he turned away from the scientist who seemed to understand that it was better not to be left wanting.

Walking through the decaying and slightly dusty corridors of the den where he and his companions were forced to stay due to the needs they were in, Lucian stopped suddenly, letting out a breath. There was no real annoyance or surprise given that he was already hoping for something like that, just a little irritation at knowing that once again he was right about what kind of attitude were part of the lycan's repertoire failing miserably to remain hidden from his senses.

"Don't think I didn't notice you spying."

"Would you believe me if I said I was just passing by?" Coming out of a dark corner with his greatest attempt at an innocent look on his youthful face contrasting with his gray hair, was Brick, as casual as ever.

"No." 

"So let's be honest here, boss. Of so many options, did it have to be him?" He signaled over his shoulder, an unnecessary gesture since Lucian knew exactly who he was referring to. He made a point of showing his displeasure whenever the opportunity arose, and now it would be no different. .

"Whoever is assigned to anything within this den is for me to say, so just focus your attention where it is due, Gabriel. You have your orders, so do as you are told." Simple, direct and hard, as an alpha should be. Being the leader of an entire pack requires strength, cunning and often rigidity to keep those under your leadership in line. Even if the time they have known each other is as old as the very beginning of the war, that would not prevent Lucian from reminding his lieutenant that he should follow his orders just like the others.

"You can't blame a guy for trying, unintended pun there." With a simple shrug, he took a cigarette, brought it to his lips, lighting and puffing the carcinogenic smoke. It wasn't indifference in an attempted challenge, or anything close to that. It was just his usual way. "But let's be honest here. Maybe I don't have the scarred face that I'm sure that turns the girls on, but do you really think he's better than me?"

"When it comes to provoking and angering the enemy to death or until they lose their heads, nobody is better than you, Gabriel." Lucian responded with a half-smiled smile when the mood seeped. Even after all the hardships they went through on so many unnerving occasions, Brick was one of the only ones who could on occasion lift the mood of the older lycan.

"Whatever you say, boss, but never forget: there is a reason for not sending doctors to do the work of a soldier." 

"I'll keep that in mind. I think if you're up here, it means you've already prepared things for tomorrow." 

"Not really, Raze will take care of that part."

"It was not what he said."

Brick gave a short laugh before noticing one of the rare slightly amused looks that were unlikely to appear on Lucian's face. Either the joke would be too funny that he couldn't help himself, or the truth was more painful to the point of being funny in his eyes.

He was serious …

"Of course, he didn't." A grunt that came out more like a small animalistic roar escaped Brick as he stubbed out his cigarette in anger. "I'm going to kick his ass for this later.""

"Just be prudent. Amelia is an elder, and therefore is not someone to be underestimated. Especially when confronted in an environment as confined as the one you will have to invade."

He heard the gray lycan give some kind of comical or witty response before running to the dirtiest, dirtiest parts of the den where ironically the biggest concentration of his pack was, while Lucian took the opposite path, to the stairs that led to the parts tallest of the building connected to the tunnels housing its people.. 

A short journey to the stars that reside in the sky, as dazzling as the moonlight yet to fully emerge. He went up step by step, slowly and unhurriedly, there was no need. For all these centuries it was always there, and now it would be no different. Opening the door that led to the top of the building connected to the hiding place of her horde, she was there, with her glow in the dark and partially rainy sky, attracting her eyes that shone as she reflected her light.

The moon, half full, like his progress, like his decades-long arduous search that seemed to be finally coming to an end, and all that was missing were the pieces of the puzzle: the blood of his oppressors, and the last descendant of the bloodline of a common ancestor that he and his cousins had. A last bond that unites us, a last reminder of an origin that we all share even though we have become so culturally distant. How ironic. Two puzzles difficult to achieve, but no longer out of reach. The conclusion seemed like a reality. The victory seemed like a reality, and his revenge ...

"So close." He spoke, as low as a whisper even though there was no one to hear. 

Everything was so close, yet so far. And in the face of the moon that seemed to grow with his restlessness, he was playing a game of patience. Patience was what took them so far, patience not to march on the walls of the ordogahz in the same way that his brothers had done that day when their world turned into pain, patience to not let anger make him throw his people like a loofah cannon, patience to honor her...

Honor her, and her memory that he still carried with him. The memory of the moments of love and caress that would never leave his mind, the memory of the strength and personality that made her win a place in his heart, the memory of what they were and what they might have been had if he had not failed with her, if he had been more patient instead of jumping straight into a trap to rescue her.

His hands went to the necklace around his neck, squeezing the jewelry tightly. His impulsiveness cost him something that could never be recovered, and the centuries he spent fighting took from him the only thing he had left: his humanity. He was no better than Viktor, no more. And the man she once loved no longer exists. The cruelty and brutality with which he hunted his enemy made a point of guaranteeing this, making him a different creature, very different from the young lycan who dreamed of going beyond the walls with his mate at his side.

And for that he would cause their world to collapse, their great alliance of bureaucracies and conspiracies that they claimed to exist to preserve the laws that kept them from his "wild" family would be shaken, burned by the fire that would mark the end of a war that would die together with his instigator, his blood enemy, the one whose mark no longer rested on his arm whose skin had been removed to seal the profane agreement.

The agreement that would give its freshest fruits just six hundred after it was made: the fulfillment of his will and the memory of her ultimately honored. He just needed to wait, to wait for what ironically symbolized intense minutes of agony for the youngest of his kind ...

Full moon.

* * *

"I tried to swerve but he hit us, threw our car in the opposite lane. When I woke up I realized that part of the engine was in the front seat. And she was right there, six inches from me ... in a horrible position. I think she was in shock because she kept asking if I was okay… she was more worried about me." A weak laugh escaped him, but there was no dose of humor, just a great sadness born of the irony of the fact. In such a critical condition, his well-being was her biggest concern. Even on the verge of death, she was more concerned with his life than with her own.

Selene listened carefully, not only to her words but also to the pain in them. She found herself bowing her head briefly in a condescending manner, remaining silent as the ex-human continued. Words of comfort, she had none, as she never really had to comfort anyone in her entire life. She was not good with emotions, not anymore. But she wanted and could offer something: the respectful silence of someone who understood his pain and the courtesy to listen to what he had to get out of his chest.

Just as he had done for her.

"If I had known what I know today I would have saved her, I have no doubt about it. But ... she ended up dying right there ... about two minutes before the ambulance arrived." Two minutes ... just two minutes. He could have saved her, but he couldn't. All he could do was ... watch, helpless. So he has been trying ever since, trying to do what he couldn't before, save, heal. Doing for others what he could not do for her….

"After that, I didn't see any reason to stick around. I spent a summer here with my grandfather when I was a kid so... after I got my degree, I just... I took off. I came over here to move on, to forget. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

At the time when the world was simpler, not the turmoil of confusion and bizarre events that it has become in the past few hours. Forgetting, moving on, was all he wanted when he arrived from America, when medicine was his way of partially fixing the past, of doing better for others when everything was simpler.

When there was no war and the possibility of him not being more human…

"And have you? Move on." She had been so quiet that he was even surprised by her question, her expression complacent.

"Have you?"

She stared at him for a second that seemed to last an eternity while he simply looked her in the eye for an answer. But an answer never came when she turned around again, facing the rain again in a gesture that he was beginning to interpret as her not giving an answer.

That was why it was so surprising not only that she spoke, but also that her voice was full of something he hadn't seen before, something that seemed to deviate from the professional attitude and ice mask she wore.

"I don't know. I just… hope to find out in the end you know, when it's all over. When they finally gone, when they can't hurt anyone else, I hope I can breathe and finally have… moved on, managed to leave it behind."

"Killing them all, do you think that will really help, that will make up for everything that happened?" That will really be the best for you? "If there's one thing I learned, it's that we can't change what happened, no matter how much we want to."

"Maybe we can't, and I don't know if it's really going to make up for anything. I think I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it. Until then, I just follow my orders and don't let it distract me."

"The road ahead is empty, paved with miles of the unknown."

"City to city." She raised an eyebrow, glance at him over her shoulder. "Really Michael?"

"It's not like I have better sources for working here."

Her response not only made her smile, but made her gave a small, genuine chuckle that she didn't want to try to contain. Laughing, interacting with him, seemed easy. Perhaps because they both had their own demons that they were still trying to overcome, perhaps because they are both souls so broken that they can actually find some kind of comfortable ground between them. Maybe that's why she is so inclined to help him, they both lost someone, and they could understand the pain the other felt.

"There's something I still don't understand." He spoke, his tone serious again. "Who started it all, who started this war?"

Who started ...

A good question, that many of the new vampires and dealers still in training asked. Because, who, how, the general context could change but the question was always the same: who started it all.

"They, as far as we know." There wasn't much information, not that she needed it anyway. As animalistic as they were, she didn't doubt that they had made the first move, not after seeing firsthand how brutal they could be. "Seeking the past was forbidden a long time ago, when swords and crossbows were still our weapons. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't change anything. In the end we will win."

"You look very certain."

"Certain as the sunrise." An ironic statement, as her internal clock was already reminding her that the horizon would soon light up with the rays of sunlight that were fatal to her people. She needed to go back. "I have to go, the sun will be up in a few hours and it will be better if I'm not here."

Grabbing her weapon, she left her seat in front of the window and started for the door, only to be stopped by Michael who held her lightly by the wrist. "What about me? What will happen to me?"

"Viktor will know what to do, I'll be back tomorrow night."

"I will not be here alone."

"Will if you want to live, Michael."

"No, I want to go with you."

She looked him in the eye, and saw fear, fear of the unknown. She wished she could do more for him, but the safest place he could be was in this room even if he thought otherwise. But beyond fear, there was stubbornness. The stubbornness of someone who wouldn't just sit and wait, someone who wouldn't let her go alone. It was almost a reflection of her own will that led her to go against everything to fulfill her goals. He was going to argue, and she didn't have time for that. She needed to go now.

Of all the ways she could deal with this situation, she opted for the most unlikely. Approaching him until their faces were just inches apart, close enough that he could smell her perfume that seemed to work its way through her senses, she captured his lips in a soft kiss that sent a tingle through the young doctor's spine caught completely off guard by the beautiful vampiress's kiss.

It wasn't until they separated that he noticed the handcuff being put on his arm, pinning him to the interrogation table where he had spent the last few hours sitting next to him. He watched her walk away towards the door without looking back, the confusion and even the repressed desire for the stress that her kiss woke up disappearing in favor of the confusion. "What are you doing?"

She stopped, turning to look at him again. Her face was again wearing her "mask of cold professionalism" as he had dubbed it when she said: "when the full moon rise tomorrow night you will change, you will kill and you will feed. It is inevitable and I cannot leave you free to wander around, Michael. I'm sorry. "

She hasn't gone through the door, she hasn't come out yet. In her way of giving him a kind of temporary escape from the pain he would have to endure alone, she walked over to him, handing him the loaded gun. "A single round won't kill you, but the silver can prevent the transformation for at least a while. If I don't return in time, do yourself a favor and use it."

And so, she left, leaving him alone with his own fear, afraid of what he would face, what he would become. But suddenly these feelings didn't seem as prevalent as the confusion he was feeling about that kiss, how he felt about her after that.

Shared confusion, because instead of just continuing on towards the stairs, Selene stopped behind the door as soon as she left him, her stoic expression broken and her lips trembling. _Kissing him… it was a maneuver, a distraction and nothing more. He's… terribly stubborn and that was the only way he could let go._ She repeated to herself, taking a deep breath and continuing on without daring to look back until she was in the car.


	5. Chapter 5

The gates opened to allow the car she had been driving at full speed since she left the house safe, giving the illusion of a warm welcome waiting behind the door that would lead into the mansion. 

But she knew better, she knew it would not be a warm welcome or even the usual vision of immortal hedonists enjoying the pride she so disapproved of, but rather a coven as agitated as never before, agitated by her actions and the rules she had broken.

But that didn't stop her from making her way through the doors, entering the foyer with her head held high and fearlessly in her eyes. Even when the judgmental and disapproving glances of everyone present fell on her, Selene was not deterred by walking deeper into the mansion toward her goal, shrugging mentally at all the scowls and head shakings of the vampires around her.

_Looks are exactly that, looks. Whether disapproving or condemning, they are not as sharp as a sword or as painfully accurate as a silver round._

Her steps, laden with haste and determination, were interrupted by the only one who could really get her to the point where she thought of a thousand different ways to hurt him even if there was a title resting on his head that should have prevented her from considering it, but not not now. Now when Kraven had the audacity to grab her by the wrist just to make her hear whatever bullshit he might say.

"How could you do this to me?" Speaking between teeth, his frustration will be of no use other than making her take her wrist out of his grip abruptly, glaring at him. "Do you have any idea how you have embarrassed me? The whole coven knew I had plans for us!"

"There is no us!" And she would call a lycan a friend the day there was. 

"You will go before Viktor, and you are going to say exactly what I tell you to say! You are going to do what I say from now on! Was that somehow unclear?"

Her answer did not come in the form of any words cold enough to freeze his illusions, or acidic enough to melt his so unpleasant obsession, but in the form of a well-applied blow to the face that brought the traitorous regent to his knees, giving her time enough to run from his words that did a good job of penetrating his temper, his presence that caused her disgust.

Run to do what she came to do, don't waste her breath on someone who wasn't worth the time.

Entering the elders' chamber, she allowed herself to regain her composure and calm her nerves when the doors were sealed behind her, creating an appropriate barrier between her and what she was about to reveal as the greatest traitor to her people for the one who was watching her from the throne since the second she entered.

With her head bowed in a show of fear and respect that she knew she should always give not only to any elder, but especially to him, she approached and bowed in awe to Viktor, awakened and following his movements with her blue vampire eyes.

"Selene." His voice was dry, an effect of the awakening that he was still healing. But even the hoarseness was not enough to hide the satisfaction in his voice when he saw her. "Come closer, my child. Let me have a look at you."

And so she did, getting close enough that he could see her, just like her. He looked fine, even if not fully recovered and at full strength. His skin was still abnormally pale and still somewhat mummified, exposing his supernatural nature. But he looked better than a newly awakened one, an effect of blood attached to his back working to restore his strength.

"You changed." He spoke, his keen eyes meeting hers in a kind of appraisal. "You look confused, my child. The fire that shone in your eyes so long ago seems weak."

His words were the truth. He was one of the fews who understood her and now it was no different. She was confused, for many things. "I have been lost without you, my lord. Constantly pursued by Kraven and his endless affection."

A genuine laugh of amusement escaped the old man, not surprised by the fact. "It's the oldest story in the book, he desires the only thing he cannot have." Another laugh, a last show of amusement, a last moment of relaxation between him and his protégé before his expression became more serious when he addressed the subject of this commotion. "Now tell me, my dear. How exactly did you come to believe that Lucian still lives?"

* * *

The sound of commotion, the smell of light nervousness and the feeling of victory approaching, all of this was so prevalent in the den's air that it could be cut with a knife. They were many things, creatures of the night, slaves freed from their chains and even killers if the situation was extreme enough.

But most of all, they were natural hunters and even Lucian could not completely stifle the satisfaction that was growing in his chest for the hunt that was going to take place. A hunt not for blood, but for a key, about to be carried out by his men who stood as still as statues when they noticed his authority-filled presence entering the den area where they were waiting.. 

He watched them closely; their faces ranging from deceptively naive to frowning and scarred, their smells, their postures, they all had something in common: they were all the oldest in that den, those who had seen the most struggles among others, those who could stay focused on the task at hand even under the presence of the moon rising in the sky.

Those who were handpicked by the gray lycan giving the last orders to two lieutenants in particular displaying a disgruntled frown, but who did not dare to speak when he approached them.

"How things are progressing?" 

"We are rea-"

"Almost ready." Pierce's scowl grew with the interruption of the only one gathering them here, but he forced himself to keep his jaw closed. Reluctantly, letting Brick, who had shifted his attention to the horde leader, speak. "Everyone is ready to hit the road, we are just waiting for you to say the word. I was suggesting to Batman and Robin here that they could offer extra help in Singe's chase. You know, real legal aid and with real value on the streets."

 _Translation: I don't want them in this operation or anywhere near me on such a delicate subject, so they can be useful elsewhere._ There was a very solid hierarchy in the Budapest den that was not much different from any other den. General decisions that affect the pack as a whole was he as an alpha who had the final say. Assignments, food, accommodation and command in his absence were left to Raze.

Now small independent tasks, escorting, tracking a high-value target, or selecting the right men for a last-minute mission was left to his lieutenants, who sometimes had different ways of working.

Ways that could put them in conflict with each other. He couldn't change the minds of the more conservative lycans or those who saw humans around as food to satisfy their carnivorous instincts. Discipline them from time to time? Sure. But Lucian was not a fool to think that he could change the way everyone thought. Brick and the duo were a good example of how some individuals can follow different philosophies and how it can put them in conflict.

Conflict with enough blood to make an elder's senses drunk and with claws sharp enough to cut through the steel. This choice of tasks was nothing more than his way of keeping they away so that he did not have to be constantly on the lookout so that the duo's destructive temperament and personality did not put everything to lose.

"After the constant interference from our cousins, an extra pair of hands would not hurt. I need eyes and ears up there and those are you two, understood?" Lucian said, his tone left no room for discussion. It was the tone that could fit into civilized words that if they both had any problem with it, that they would speak to his face if they had the courage.

What they didn't have.

"Yes sir!" A greeting in unison and they left to perform their duties as law enforcement officers in the human world with their agendas for a hidden underworld. 

"Küçük tavukların yanında görüşürüz." A scornful smile crossed Brick's features as the language of a nation that stretched from east to west Europe escaped his tongue before he took on a serious expression when he looked at Lucian again. "Well, as has already been said, we are ready. Just give the order and we will be gone before Raze can even say bald."

"Humor can be a tool but also a form of distraction, Gabriel. So just remember what we're going to be achieving." Lucian's words came out like those of a father reminding his son of an important fact in life, before he added more volume when speaking to the others standing there totally unaware of the internal conflict between the lieutenants that was drowned out by him. "And that goes for everyone present here! You, who, like the others, knew the risks but were the only ones to get this far. You, who know the tempting glow of the moon hovering over us, but who were one of the few to survive enough to resist that shine. 

"Each one of you was chosen, selected among so many others not to carry out a slaughter, but to collect the key that will open the door of a new era for our people!"

Looks were exchanged, doubts slowly drowning out by the confidence his words sang in their ears, like a battle anthem that never grows old. That even after six hundred years it could still make them feel like the relentless hunters and obstinate soldiers they needed to be.

Six hundred years of war, six hundred years closely followed by the great black lycan, subtly entering the den area where this speech was taking place. A mutual look of recognition between Raze and his gray comrade was exchanged, but no words were spoken, none were needed.

If there was one thing they could agree on, it was that the man making his pronouncement was the reason they all went so far, for they both knew that an army by itself was useless without a commander with an indomitable spirit to instigate the fire of battle in the hearts of his troops who needed to remember from time to time why they were fighting.. 

From why they couldn't fail.

"A new era of peace… peace baptized in the blood of those who tried to put collars on our necks! Peace won not by mine workers who never had a choice, not by slaves, but by men and women who showed that we are free! that we have a choice, that we choose to be more than we were, that we choose to be what we are today! And I ask you now, what we are? "

"... Lycan."

"WHAT WE ARE?"

"LYCAN!"

* * *

His eyes remained fixed on the monitors showing the conversation going on inside the chamber, his ears attentive to every word and a frown formed as Kraven watched from the other side as things seemed to completely get out of his control without him being able to stop it. His work ... threatened, not by any deathdealer who flew too close to the sun, but by the one he intended to be ... no, that would be the one next to him when he sat on the throne currently occupied by the source of his fears.

His focus on the unofficial trial taking place on the camera was deflected by the vibration of the phone in his pocket, which he quickly picked up and answered, without taking his eyes off the monitors. "Yes?"

"It's time." Even through a cell phone, a result from the innovations of the modern world in which they lived, the voice being transmitted still had the characteristic features of the grace of a nobleman in the body of a dog leader.

Lucian.

"There was a complication." A euphemism for the situation at hand, which ironically seemed to be resolving in his favor by the direction the discussion was going.

"So make it less complicated, cousin. All preparations have been perfectly arranged and we are on schedule. What could be holding you back besides your own ineptitude in controlling your people?"

"How about the fact that Viktor was awakened ahead of schedule? Not Marcus, but Viktor! Viktor, that shouldn't be a problem until the next century or less after your plan was executed!" He forced himself to lower his tone when he remembered that he was not entirely alone. The chamber walls were thick, but everyone in the room had a hearing that could detect a heartbeat...

Much less an argument between two leaders planning to evict the tapestry of the past who was listening to his future queen's charges of conspiracy.

"Handling the coven is your job, your only job. Any off-scale occurrence is your responsibility, your failure." The calm, the irritatingly arrogant tone of a lord explaining to a foolish child the consequences of his actions not only irritated him, but made Kraven wonder if he understood the seriousness of the situation. "Awake or not, the plan goes as expected. Exactly as we agreed, exactly how I want it. The only question is, are you the man to do it?"

If he was the man to do it?

He had reached a position envied by many within this coven, he had kept the secrets and cleared the clutter, he had the necessary vision and ambition that the "saviors" of the race could never have, with their weak and easily manipulated politics. He was not the man to do it, but the only one who could do it. 

"You know I am." 

"Then do your part. Or I will be the one to regret our agreement, cousin."

* * *

"But I already gave you all the proof you need!"

"Incoherent visions, thoughts and images, nothing more." His tone was severe, a tone that Selene recognized very well, the tone of a general disciplining a soldier who would receive punishment equivalent to failure. She recognized it, as she had seen him use it in all trials in which the defendant was found guilty. "Which is precisely why the awakening is performed by an elder, you do not possess the necessary skills, Selene!"

"But I saw Lucian and I shot him! You must believe me!" And yet she would insist, insist until he at least considered her words, regardless of how this discussion was making her frustrated.

Because it seemed that again, his claims were falling on deaf ears. Even he, who had trusted her judgment before, he who she trusted unconditionally, seemed to ignore the lycan threat in favor of why he was the one awake, the one sitting on the throne. "The chain has never been broken in fourteen centuries, not since we elders began to take turns in time! One awake and two asleep, that's the way it is. This is Marcus's turn to reign, not mine!"

"But I had no choice! The entire coven is in danger and Michael is the key-" 

She fell silent under his hiss, lowering her head again. "Ah yes, the lycan." His tone was no longer just severe, but it also poured contempt. As if the name of the species that the man she had spent the last hours of in the company was a disease.

And she felt tired, frustrated and to some extent desperate to see everything practically slipping out of her hands. Her plan seemed completely on the brink of failure, and her actions, the rules she broke for a greater cause, all seemed in vain.

But even so, she raised her head again to look at him, one last attempt to appeal came in the form of her voice tired from the pointless argument between the two. "Viktor, please. Give me a chance to get the proof you require."

"I'll leave it to Kraven to collect the evidence, if there's any." His expression, still severe. His words, without a drop of emotion. He had already made up his mind, he had already completed this unofficial trial between the two.

And that frustrated her, even more than all this failed attempt to convince him. Not because he was doubting her for the first time in centuries, but because he was relying on her target of accusations, on that conspiracy to undo everything they accomplished. That was what frustrated her, that was why she asked, "How can you trust him more than me?"

"Because he is not the one who has been tempted by an animal." And for a moment, the uncompromising stance, the frown of severity on the old face exposing his supernatural nature, softened when he said, "I love you as a daughter, but you leave no choice. These rules are in place for good reasons and they are the only reason we have survived this long, my child. "

And then it disappeared, as quickly as it emerged, as well as the good humor that had dissipated from him when this audience began, giving way once more to the face of a king who ruled with a steady hand. "You will be treated without any clemency. When Amelia arrives, the council will meet and decide your future. You have broken the chain and the covenant! And for that you must be judged!"

She felt the weight of her words like a whip marking her skin, and the severity of her tone sounded in her ears like the hammering of a judge giving her sentence without even considering the words of defense that were given. He had condemned her, without any hesitation. The feeling was distressing, and for the first time in six centuries, she allowed part of her anguish to come out in the form of a tear that slid down her cheek.

Which she quickly wiped away when the sound of the doors being opened resonated in a kind of extra confirmation for what she already knew: it was over, she had failed and her fate had been sealed. Hiding the signs of anguish happening inside her behind her stoic and cold expression that rarely left her face, she regained her composure when the footsteps of the target of her accusations and the others accompanying him stopped behind her.

"She will be confined to her quarters until the council arrives. Was that clear enough, Kraven?" 

"Yes, my lord."

"Get her out of here."

It didn't matter that she was practically being sentenced to death, that she would be judged as an exile who had come low enough to betray everyone. None of this prevented her from giving the dishonest regent a very clear glare. If he touched her, not even regeneration would help him to use that arm again.

Kraven quickly took the hint and, being true to his cowardly nature, ordered with a simple nod that Soren at his side was the one to grab her by the arm, leading her out of the chamber without giving her a chance to look back. Which she could appreciate on some level, because Selene did not want to look at the face of the elder who had sentenced her, the mentor who had abandoned her.

Abandoned her … to the sun that would come with the sentence of the council, to the eyes of all the coven walkers who stared with astonishment and even slight satisfaction to see her being escorted by Kraven's guards. _Looks, just looks._ She ignored them as usual, the fact that she was being placed under house arrest would not change her beliefs. It wasn't going to mean more to her than when she arrived at the mansion.

But that didn’t mean that she didn’t at least feel the slightest relief when she was taken away from the eyes of judgment, taken to her bedroom door, one of the few places where she could be alone with herself, where she could be at peace. 

But not before reluctantly heard the voice of the source of her troubles one last time, the temptation to push the vampire holding the door and simply slam the door in their faces grew when Kraven said, "You should have heard me when you had the chance, now you’ll be lucky if I can convince the council to spare your life. "

Selene gave him a blank look before simply saying, "Tell me, did you have the nerve to cut the skin off his arm or did Lucian did it for you?" 

His reaction was no different than what she expected from someone like him. Looking away, the fact that she probably correctly deduced how things happened only served to hurt his ego, even more than the punch she had thrown earlier.

"Just mark my words, soon you will see things my way."

 _You always have to be the one to give the last word, don't you?_ She was content to leave it that way and enjoy what she considered a small victory on a night of defeats when they retired. Being free of his presence provided a satisfaction that not even the sound of her door being locked from the outside could do little to change.

Finally alone, with only herself for company, Selene let out an audible sigh of frustration before she went and sat on the couch, wondering how it all went wrong so quickly and in such a colossal way. She had the advantage in a minute, ready to burn the entire web of a conspiracy that only she seemed to recognize. And the next… failure. Her word rejected by him in favor of a rule that seemed more important than the danger around everyone.

In the end, she was unable to stop them, unable to expose the snake that was supposed to care for this coven in the absence of a leader. And now she couldn't even help him anymore …

Help him…

_Michael._

She looked at the couch she was sitting on, remembering that ironically it was where he probably woke up scared and confused when she brought him here. _Unbelievable._ Even now, waiting for a sentence that would not be kind, she still seemed to have time to think about him, about him who would prove pain as bleak as the sentence the council would give her.

I think it doesn't matter what the circumstances are, we are two souls united by problems in one way or another ain't we? She thought, letting out a weak laugh before getting up and going to bed, her internal clock doing a good job of reminding her of the sun that would soon rise in the sky, giving her some precious hours of sleep where she could forget all the problems.

Closing her eyes in resignation, Selene allowed herself to fall asleep. But not before her mind reminded her of what she said she would come back for him, and now she couldn't. The suffering of a lycan in his first transformation could not have meant less to her under normal circumstances, but now on the verge of falling asleep, she was unable to prevent a thought from passing through.

_I'm sorry._

* * *

**I wrote this chapter during one of my moments of insomnia, so forgive me if there's more errors than usual.**

**Küçük tavukların yanında görüşürüz is turkish for: see you around little chickens.**


End file.
